College Visions

Meet CV Student: Sheila Bautista

Many first-generation students don’t have access to the essential college resources that are vital to their success and contribute to the acquisition of their college degree. With College Visions, low-income and first-gen students are able to go on college campus visits, learn how to write a resume, cover letter, and college essay, build a strong relationship with their advisor and more.

First-generation student, Sheila Bautista, attends the University of Rhode Island where she is currently studying political science and because of you and CV support she was able to secure an internship at Senator Jack Reed’s Office, giving her experience in her field!
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Advising Undocumented Students in Rhode Island for College Access

Our mission at College Visions is to empower low-income and first-generation college-bound students to realize the promise of higher education by providing advising and resources to promote college enrollment, persistence, and graduation. College Visions advances equal access to educational opportunities in historically under-served communities.

At College Visions, we believe our work is an embodiment of our core values:
– Empathetic, compassionate, and transformative relationships drive strong organizations.
– Equity creates strong communities.
– In our community we honor the voice, agency, and identities of all.
– Success means reaching our goals through hard work, failure and growth.

We live and operate through these values daily within our two core programs, the College Access Program (CAP) and the Kolajo Paul Afolabi College Success Program (CSP).

The College Access Program provides the intensive, individualized advising that closes the gap between college aspirations and college enrollment for first-generation, low-income students. Students are provided with one-on-one admissions advising, college knowledge workshops, campus visits, family engagement opportunities, access to technology, financial aid coaching.

The College Success Program provides our college students and graduates of CAP with continued support through college. Students are provided with one-on-one coaching, college success workshops, connection with on-campus resources, transfer coaching, financial aid renewal assistance, and access to our emergency grant fund.

Both of our programs are free to our students and are supplemented with providing social-emotional support for our students. At College Visions, we understand that the journey to and through college can be met with many different challenges, as well as the great successes, especially for first-generation low-income students. We are proud to be a resource for our students, help them navigate through different challenges, and celebrate their accomplishments.

Tina Meetran
College Access Program Director
College Visions

CLICK HERE to download the guide: Advising Undocumented Students in Rhode Island for College Access, 2019-2020

The Beautiful Thing About Learning is That No One Can Take It Away From You

“As a first-generation college student, society has given us the social pressure of having to be successful at everything we do to show our worth. We pride ourselves in attaining the dreams and goals our parents set out for us to achieve. Our parents give us the building blocks to succeed, but it is up to us whether or not we want to be successful.”

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Who Is the Author of My Story?

Because of the guidance and support you help provide, Cristal Marte is currently enrolled at Rhode Island College, where she is a Nursing major who will be graduating in the fall of 2019! Like most first-generation students, Cristal didn’t know much about the college admissions process, but knew the importance of pursuing higher education, not only for herself, but for her family’s future.

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